Imran Khan and PTI have reacted very strongly against the team of PM Nawaz Sharif for threatening to use Pakistan’s cyber-crimes against Khan and his party. Khan termed this another act of political intimidation through use of state laws.

Information minister’s press conference came amidst an overall situation in the country in which social media and cyberspace are being targeted.

On Monday, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Information and Daniyal Aziz, PML-N’s most out spoken MNA had held a press conference in Islamabad. Both the Information Minister and the MNA alleged in their respective speeches that Imran Khan had attempted to damage Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s reputation through false allegation on social media.

Maryam Aurangzeb had asserted that Imran Khan and members of his party have committed contempt of court, trying to influence the decision of Supreme Court’s judgement in Panama Papers case and they are using social media for this purpose.

Even before the press conference by country’s information minister, most analysts and bloggers had started to suspect that religious passions are being inflamed, on a political agenda, using clerics and sectarian leaders, to suppress the youth on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Maryam Aurangzeb, the information minister had said, “We will definitely take action against the PTI leadership,” while clarifying, this is not going to be a case of political victimization as PTI’s campaign against PM Nawaz falls under cybercrime laws. Reacting to this press conference, Imran Khan did series of tweets. He described that first Pakistan’s Anti-terrorism laws were used against him and now Nawaz Govt intends to misuse cyber-crime laws against him and his opposition party.

The Minister went on by saying that a case is being prepared against leadership of PTI under the pretext of cybercrime and defamation laws. Thus, PTI has no right to question the actions taken by the government.

PTI’s main strength rests in its middle class college educated youth, most of whom are active on social media.

Imran Khan referred to Nawaz government’s latest moves as attempts to undermine democracy in county and vowed to fight all such attempts to impose “Sharif family Kingship in Pakistan” in the name of democracy.

3. We will not be deterred by threats & will oppose all efforts to undermine democracy & establish Sharif badshahat & dictatorship.

Ms. Aurangzeb had claimed in a reference about the video which PTI had made, “The documentary does not contain remarks of judges against the PTI,”. Basically she was saying that PTI documentary was one sided. Though many in the media wondered if an opposition party, in Pakistan, is expected to make a neutral and balanced documentary like BBC.

Maryam had further said that the government is more resourceful and can make many such documentaries. However she said that their party was silently and patiently waiting for court’s decision and no matter the outcome the party and Prime Minister are ready to accept the decision.

The decision will be made on merits basis, any conspiracy PTI tries to make against the elected government will not influence the decision as the judges had said before.

And even before the press conference by country’s information minister, most analysts and bloggers had started to suspect that religious passions are being inflamed, on a political agenda, using clerics and sectarian leaders, to suppress the youth on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. PTI’s main strength rests in its middle class college educated youth, most of whom are active on social media.

Imran Khan has now added his voice to this debate. He is now hinting at what media analysts were already predicting that the government is trying to muzzle social media in anticipation of court decision in panama case. Analysts suspect that government is trying to create an atmosphere of fear for social media and blogging community so that if they are not satisfied by the court decision then they should be afraid to use social media for robust protests and reactions.

PMLN team’s sudden use of strong tone of blaming opposition for defaming the Prime Minister, and threats of using cyber laws against them, suggests that they are expecting a positive decision in their favor from the court. And are trying to create a political atmosphere receptive for the decision. In the press conference on Monday, PMLN’s MNA, Mr Aziz had claimed that PTI’s motive behind Panama Case was only to damage Nawaz Sharif’s reputation, “Imran Khan has said in a recent statement that even if Nawaz Sharif is exonerated in the Panama Papers case, the stigma of corruption will stick to his political career,” Aziz said.

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